Sharon Mickan*, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Julie Tilson, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States Helen Atherton*, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Nia Roberts, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Carl Heneghan, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Track: Research Presentation Topic: Mobile & Tablet Health Applications Presentation Type: Oral presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: Mermaid Room: Main Auditorium Date: 2013-09-23 11:45 AM – 01:00 PM Last modified: 2013-09-25

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Background:
Healthcare professionals require information for and about their patients. Time is often reported as a barrier to information seeking, as is access to information and the skills to search efficiently.
Over the last 10 years there have been rapid changes in the design, size, functionality and usage of mobile computing technologies. Simultaneously, widespread education about evidence based healthcare has enabled many healthcare professionals to search for and appraise the research evidence, to answer their clinical questions. Further, there is an explosion of tools and strategies to facilitate electronic access to the research evidence. It seems logical therefore, that as healthcare professionals use mobile computing devices in clinical settings, they can quickly update and access information to better inform their practice.
Objective:
In what ways do healthcare professionals use mobile computing devices to access information to benefit their practice?
Methods:
This presentation reports on a scoping review of systematic reviews investigating the use of mobile computing devices in clinical practice published in the last 10 years. We excluded any reviews about public use of mobile devices, students’ classroom learning and use of laptop computers.
Results:
449 systematic reviews were identified using a complex search strategy and a specific filter for systematic reviews across 7 databases. 18 systematic reviews were read and assessed for quality using the AMSTAR checklist. We extracted data from 5 systematic reviews.
Four key functions of handheld computers were identified from the data extraction and synthesis, as having evidence of effectiveness. Handheld computers have improved patient documentation quality through more complete records with fewer errors and improved ease and efficiency of use. Handheld computers have improved safe and appropriate decision making using clinical decision support systems and patient management systems at point of care. Handheld computers have demonstrated effectiveness for supporting healthcare professionals looking for information about patients, drugs, guidelines and references at point of care. Handheld computers can enhance efficiency and improve patterns of work.
Conclusion:
Handheld computers appear to provide healthcare professionals with timely and easy access to relevant information; facilitate accurate and complete documentation; coordinate information at the point of care; and support efficient work flows.
This study provides a snapshot of current research evidence of the effective use of handheld computers by healthcare professionals. This evidence may guide clinicians, managers and researchers in their future use and research of handheld computers.